Interlude of the Gods
by Dark SpellMaster
Summary: A bunch of short stories during, before, after and way in the future of both the world of Thor, including some AU. Update: What happens when Balder Gets drunk and plans on taking over Asgard? Various parings, including Loki/Sigyn, Sif/Thor/Jane, and others as the stories progress.
1. Chapter 1: A Hair Brushing

_**A/N: This piece is just a bunch of short oneshots that deal with Loki, Sigyn, Thor, and cast. They take place at various times, and in some cases far into the future or far into the past. These are stories that I can't see including in the larger piece I'm writing right now. Please enjoy them for what they are.**_

_**Copyright: Mighty Thor characters belong to Marvel Comics. **_

Sigyn rested her head on the pillow beside her husband. Settling in next to Loki had become a bit of a challenge recently. In the past six months of marriage he'd fallen to sleep well after her, claiming to be working on matters of importance, though not letting her know. Now that he'd finished setting up some sort of deal, she didn't ask what, he'd taken to going to bed a bit before her. The problem was, his hair, the long black waterfall of a tress that hung to the middle of his back when out of its normal tail, would spread out all over the pillows as he shifted to find a comfortable position. This meant some of his hair would fall on her side, and get all over her face, arms, and in some cases it would tickle her nose.

Sigyn got up and went over to a chair near a window in their room and looked at him in the moonlight. Sleeping like this he looked like an innocent boy, the opposite of his true trickster personality. She crossed her legs looking at the ebony hair and pondered why it was that he had let it grow so long.

When she had first seen Loki as a boy, she had been eight and he was ten, and his hair had been short, a bit wild, but still a manageable mane, while his brother Thor's was in a short bob, the blond boy clearly trying to grow his hair out early to look like his father. They had not spoken then, and the next time she met him she was twelve and he was fifteen. His hair was about the same as it had been, a bit longer in the back, but nothing that would really catch anyone's eyes.

It was, however, when she saw him a year later that his hair had taken on a different shape. His black hair was now just above his shoulders and he smirked at her leaning back on a pillar when she was wandering the halls. Sigyn had glanced up and quirked her head at him.

"Prince Loki?" she inquired as he bowed to her, smirk still on his face.

"Lady Sigyn, It's been a while."

"Aye, it has," she said and then reached up to touch his hair which made him quirk an eyebrow. "Why is your hair growing out?"

"Ah, well, it was due to a request from my mother," he told her and moved her hand aside. "Does it not suit me?"

"I suppose," she said kindly and thought, _if you wanted to look like all the other warriors in Asgard._

Sigyn smiled some at her sleeping husband as he shifted and murmured to herself, "Then there was that time when I was sixteen."

She'd come months before his wedding to Angabroda and found him out on the archery field firing off projectile magic at a target. His hair now hung past his shoulders and he had it tied up. The air was cold and he was wrapped up in a cloak so she couldn't see his form and had thought he was someone else.

"What ho Lady Sif," Sigyn had called and Loki's aim slipped as it hit the ground exploding dirt every which way. He turned angrily at her, then blinked seeing Sigyn standing there, she opened her mouth to say something but then laughed, "My Prince, I…I'm sorry I thought you were a women."

"Yes well, I didn't intend it to grow this long, but I was asked to by my betrothed," he pushed it off his shoulder and crossed his arms as she reached up and played with it some which irritated him. "Stop that!"

"Why? You played with my hair to annoy me," she said pointedly and he smirked at her.

"Yes, but that's because I'm a Prince and have powers, you're still in training and according to my Mother a young woman shouldn't be touching the hair of a man that is to be wed."

"You made that up," Sigyn pointed out and Loki admired her with a smug smile.

"Perhaps," he glanced up to see the Frost Giantess standing in the distance and the smile slipped off his face, "It seems I must go, for now Lady Sigyn."

She curtsied to him and he leaned over to whisper in her ear, then stood to go. Sigyn watched him and called to his retreating form, "It looks good on you Prince Loki."

Sigyn took a breath and looked down at her arm where he'd left a mark from back then. She traced it and went over to Loki who was still sleeping. Reaching out Sigyn gently touched his face and Loki instinctively nuzzled to her hand. She thought then of when she saw him after his return from Jotunheim, changed, full of anger and hate. His hair was to his waist and half the time he left it down or pulled up.

"You let it grow this long?" she had asked him at the time and he had shifted.

"I didn't really have a choice in the matter." He would say no more of it to her at that time. She still didn't know all the details, but there were times he still woke in a sweat, with his hand glowing as if ready to attack something or someone. It was at that Sigyn's mind wandered to the first time he actually let her brush it for him. He'd been injured helping Thor with a fight with a Troll that had been causing issues around the local regions.

"Damn," Loki threw the bush down hard against the floor as he sat on the edge of his chair, his arms and part of his chest bandaged. "This is ridiculous! It should not take this long to heal."

"You were spattered with fire acid, Loki," She had told him picking up the brush and he growled.

"But it should not take THIS LONG!" He tried to stand and cursed again sitting down. He'd been tense since returning and taking care of himself had been harder due to the injuries, "This is my damn idiot brother's fault. If he had just let me use the spell I intended to, it would have been over faster."

"Yes, but you would have torn up the village in the process," she pointed out and Loki glared at her.

"And they could have rebuilt it."

"After several years," she said and pulled up a chair beside him.

"Feh, you're as soft hearted as he is at times," Loki stated and sighed annoyed. Sigyn reached out and ran her fingers over his shoulder, he pulled away and she looked at the brush in her hands. Reaching out for his hair she picked some up gently and started to brush it. This startled him and he turned to look at her, trying to pull away from her and winced when he twisted. "What are you doing woman?"

"Brushing your hair is all," Sigyn had told him and Loki gave her a slight dubious look. He eyed the brush and then the expression on her face. Relenting he exhaled loudly.

"Very well, if you must, just don't pull, I already am in enough pain."

"As you wish husband," Sigyn said and gently started to brush his hair. It took a long while but Loki soon relaxed, eventually closing his eyes and resting as she finished. When she had been done, Sigyn had covered him up and left him to sleep on the chair until he woke and tossed her the brush while she was in her study again.

"My lord," Sigyn recalled when she caught it and he motioned for her to follow. "What is it that you want?"

"You're to brush my hair again," he told her directly and Sigyn had quirked an eyebrow.

"You enjoyed it didn't you."

"I…it doesn't matter, I request that you do so," Loki told her and sat down again on his chair. "Well?"

Sigyn smiled some and sat beside him, "If my husband asks, I shall comply."

She chuckled as she brushed some hair from his face, and kissed the top of his head. Loki murmured and turned over in the bed. Watching him for several seconds Sigyn clucked her tongue, walked over to her vanity and pulled a few clips from a drawer. Turning back to the bed she sat down and gently lifted her husband up from the bed, sitting behind him, Sigyn gently bunched his long hair into her hand and carefully pulled it into a tail. Loki opened his eyes a tad muttering, "Sigyn, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, just go to sleep, love."

He gave a weak nod before closing his eyes again. Working fast Sigyn flipped the hair under and pinned it quickly, leaving a few strands hanging and laying him down. Smiling she climbed back into bed and fell to sleep. In the morning, after she had woken and gone down to eat, Sigyn heard a loud shout and then the pounding of her husband's feet as he tore down the hall. The door to the dining hall banged opened and Loki screamed, "SIGYN!"

"Yes dear?" she said turning from the fire place, Sigyn took one look at her husband and laughed. His normally calm hair was standing up in the front in all sorts of angles and the flipped tail she had pinned gave him a upside down cow lick. Loki scowled pointing at his hair.

"What is this? What did you do to it?"

"Pinned it dear," she said coming over to him and reaching behind his head to take it down. Loki frowned.

"Is this your idea of a joke?"

"No it was a way to keep your hair out of my face at night," she said and went over to the fire place and picked up the brush. Sigyn sat down in her normal chair and Loki pouted. "Aren't you going to sit?"

He seemed to think a bit and then reluctantly walked over. Sitting down he crossed his legs and she started to brush, slowly his temper subsided and she smiled as his shoulders went down. "Feeling better?"

Loki nodded slowly and picked up a bit of his hair, "I think I should cut it."

"Don't you dare," she poked at his shoulder and Loki gave her a queer look.

"And why not," he asked and Sigyn ran her hands through his hair.

"Because this hair holds a lot of memories for me," she said softly and Sigyn looked at him, "Of us. How we met, how we've grown and changed, and a part of me thinks, if you cut it, then that growth will be gone."

Loki turned from her and she knew he was trying to hide a slight blush, it covered his neck. "Then I think I won't cut it, besides it will take too long to get rid of, and years to re grow."

She smirked some and kissed his cheek. "I heartily agree my husband."


	2. Chapter 2: Of Wine and Kittens

_**A/N: Balder like's animals, he's known for being very gentle, so this is what happens when he gets drunk and decides he wants to help his brother take over Asgard. **_

_**Copyright: All Characters and such are owned by Marvel Comics. **_

A drink that was what he needed after dealing with Odin and the council. He'd been asked about some recent actions on Midgard, particularly one that dealt with several animals being let out of the zoo as a means of 'accidently' killing Dr. Donald Blake, Thor's identity down on Midgard where he was serving his exile to become more humble.

Walking into a tavern, Loki looked around at the warmly lit place. It was alive with citizens of the capital drinking, eating, and making merry. Honestly it was enough to make the God of Mischief ill. Strolling over to the bar, and ignoring the side long glances from the customers and regulars, Loki took a seat and ordered a simple goblet of wine to sooth his frazzled nerves. Being encased in a tree for three hundred years did that to a person, especially when the only way to break the spell was to have someone cry a single tear for him, and it couldn't be his own wife.

"Here you go," the bartender said giving him a goblet. Loki gave a nod and sipped it slowly thinking of how he could deal next with his elder brother. _Maybe turn everything into candy, which could be fun, would drive him crazy too. Or maybe deal with that woman he's taken a liking too, Jane Foster. Perhaps I could send some superheroes after him, make them think he's a danger…maybe that green hulking brute. That might be entertaining._

While he was turning plans over in his mind from across the room Balder spotted him and wandered over with a stein of ale. The younger man sat down and smiled. Loki paused mid sip, and shifted his gaze to him as Balder said, "Hi."

"Hi," Loki intoned carefully smelling the ale on Balder's breath. When it came to drinking Balder was a lightweight compared to Thor, or even the Warrior's Three, so it had Loki wondering why Balder was there drinking in the first place.

"What brought you in here Loki?" asked the more energetic then usual Balder. He leaned on the counter and studied Loki, "Did you see Odin today?"

"Yes, actually I did. Why do you ask?" Loki turned to face his old friend. Balder grinned broadly and Loki quirked an eyebrow.

"Did you get in trouble again? You're always getting in trouble."

"Yes I know, what of it Balder," Loki said in a clipped manner. He came here for quiet not to talk about his problems. If he wanted to do that he could easily go home and talk to Sigyn, and at least she knew when to not ask questions.

"Well I was thinking…I could help you with your plans." Balder said taking a swig of his drink and Loki stared at him.

"You? Help me? With what?"

"Well ideas…you know ways to take over Asgard." Balder smiled brightly and Loki turned back to his drink sighing. So that was it, the boy was drunk and delusional. He leaned back seeing the Warriors sitting at a table for four. They waved at Loki, who sat back up and rubbed his temple. _Confound it, they sent him here to annoy me no doubt._

"Hey…Hey Loki," Balder shook his arm after Loki didn't respond to him. Loki gazed back at the younger man who grinned. "I've got an idea….Kittens."

"Kittens?" Loki's eyebrow raised slowly as Balder continued.

"Aye, you can use Kittens to take over Asgard." Loki's face fell into a dead pan stare as Balder beamed excitedly at him. "Cool idea huh?"

"What do you mean by kittens, exactly," Loki inquired knowing that Balder would not go away until he had his say. Balder waved his hands wildly as he explained.

"Well you get a whole lot of kittens and release them in Asgard."

"Uh huh," Loki leaned one arm on the bar top and waited for the punch line.

"And then everyone gets distracted by the kittens because, you know, they're so cute." Balder giggled some.

"Right…distracted by Kittens," Loki muttered and thought _only if someone was a child…or you Balder._

"But you see that's not the best of this, once you release the kittens, they get set on fire."

"The kittens burst into flame?" Loki raised both eyebrows at this. Animal loving Balder was actually thinking of hurting a kitten in the name of taking over? Had the world gone mad?

"No, silly, the people, the kittens are fine." Balder waved his hand. "You know there are three of you?"

"I assume," Loki said and gave him a perplexed stare. "The people are on fire? How?"

"Well you see the kittens are fire kittens." Balder explained to him and Loki took another slug of his wine. He needed to be drunk for this to make any sense.

"You mean hell cats?"

"No, I mean they have a spell in them that causes people to get set on fire." Balder corrected him. Loki again was waiting for some sort of punch line.

"See, when people see the kittens they're going to want to pet them. So when they pet them the spell on the kitten sets them on fire. Because they're on fire, they're distracted from burning and are running around trying to stop being on fire. Which means you can slip in and just take over. See how it works?"

Balder leaned on his arm giving Loki a sly sort of smile. So there was no punch line, he figured and drank the rest of his wine. Getting up he shook Balder's hand.

"Thank you Balder, you've given me quite _a lot_ to think about. If you'll excuse me I have a home to get to."

Loki grabbed his cape and headed for the door, Balder shouting after him, "Fire Kittens Loki, think about it."


End file.
